The interactive evaluation aid described above as well as the semi- automated evaluation deliver us with data for a more straight forward method of detection of suspected or to be analyzed signals. This would allow to concentrate analysis steps to small regions of interest in the volume data.
Up to now 19 tumors with about 300 image (volume) blocks are visually evaluated using this program. The results presented in [1] are justifying the increased work load by 3-D image analysis. FISH analysis in semi-thin sections deliver a remarkable underestimation compared to the signal number in thick sections. The comparison of visually counted signals and semi-automatic counting in 3-D will be communicated in near future.
The methodical proceedings for quantitative fluorescent in situ
hybridization for 3-D evaluation is outlined. A program which can run on
multiple platforms is developed. The software is made user friendly.
The pathologists who are not familiar with the
computer aided image analysis, can easily work with this program.
The software is not just for FISH evaluation but can be used for
morphological feature evaluation and to work on any kind of visualizable
signals in the cell nucleus or any other objects.
The GUI can also be used to visualize the cell distribution and/or
invasive pattern of the malignant cells in three dimensions.